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| Councils plunge into £400m debt | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Northern Ireland's councils have debts totalling almost £400m, Environment Minister Sammy Wilson has revealed. | Northern Ireland's councils have debts totalling almost £400m, Environment Minister Sammy Wilson has revealed. |
| Ballymena, with debts of more than £30m, tops the league. | Ballymena, with debts of more than £30m, tops the league. |
| News of the debt levels came as the Northern Ireland Local Government Association raised concerns about falling revenue and cuts to services. | News of the debt levels came as the Northern Ireland Local Government Association raised concerns about falling revenue and cuts to services. |
| Belfast, the largest council, owed £20m while Magherafelt was the only one of Northern Ireland's 26 councils to remain debt-free. | Belfast, the largest council, owed £20m while Magherafelt was the only one of Northern Ireland's 26 councils to remain debt-free. |
| Newtownabbey had debts of £28m and Coleraine owed £27m. | Newtownabbey had debts of £28m and Coleraine owed £27m. |
| Even before the debt levels were confirmed, Councillor Helen Quigley, president of NILGA, warned that council services may have to be cut due to falling revenue. | Even before the debt levels were confirmed, Councillor Helen Quigley, president of NILGA, warned that council services may have to be cut due to falling revenue. |
| She urged Finance Minister Nigel Dodds to take urgent action. | She urged Finance Minister Nigel Dodds to take urgent action. |
| 'Financial challenges' | |
| A statement from the minister's office said he "was aware of the main issues facing councils" as a number of them have raised their concerns with him. | A statement from the minister's office said he "was aware of the main issues facing councils" as a number of them have raised their concerns with him. |
| "Councils, like many individuals and organisations, are facing increased financial challenges in the current economic environment," the statement said. | "Councils, like many individuals and organisations, are facing increased financial challenges in the current economic environment," the statement said. |
| "Measures introduced by the executive, such as the freeze on the regional rate element of domestic rates bills until 2011, will help individuals better deal with the challenges they face. | "Measures introduced by the executive, such as the freeze on the regional rate element of domestic rates bills until 2011, will help individuals better deal with the challenges they face. |
| "Indeed, the average bill faced by local households will be around £1,000 lower over the three years to 2011 than they would have been under direct rule." | "Indeed, the average bill faced by local households will be around £1,000 lower over the three years to 2011 than they would have been under direct rule." |
| The statement added that the minister was "keen to listen to the concerns of local government and will be carefully considering the letter he received from NILGA". | The statement added that the minister was "keen to listen to the concerns of local government and will be carefully considering the letter he received from NILGA". |